The Trip to the Winter Festival
by fanofthisfiction
Summary: A family trip to the Winter Festival isn't turning out quite like Sasuke had planned, but despite the setbacks, can Sasuke ultimately make Sakura's wish come true? (Writing prompt challenge for the twelve days of Christmas)
1. Improvise

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

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Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you're enjoying the magic of the season.

Before you begin reading this Christmas post, I thought it's best I explain a few things. This story is dedicated to my two wonderful Betas: Sakura's Unicorn and wingedmercury. It's a writing experiment I've never tried before using given prompts and an insanely narrow time line in the busiest time of year. Sakura's Unicorn invited me to give it a try, and on a whim, I decided to challenge myself and give it a shot. wingedmercury has invited me to try NaWriMo each year, but I've always had to decline. Here's my version of DeWriMo (December writing month). Surprise you two! This story is based off of prompts from WritingUnicorn's Christmas challenge on Word Press. I invite others to challenge themselves too and join in on the fun. This story won't be intricate or long, but it will involve some serious thought since I'll have to tie together prompts that aren't my own. Lastly, I'd like to give a shout out to all those who finished taking the SAT this year. Whew! I feel like taking on this writing challenge will be like taking one of those timed tests!

Now onto the first chapter…

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 **Improvise**

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He felt it like an omen. The way little Sarada scrunched her face, it was the predecessor to...

Oh no. No. No. NO.

Yep. And then it happened. The leak. All over his shirt. The stench already penetrated the air around him and the goo was seeping onto his skin.

Yuck. Baby poo was the worst. It was barely contained in his improvised diaper, but not for long. He would never admit to it, but Sakura was right. They DID need to stop in that last town. This would have never happened had he just listened. Sasuke had thought it was ridiculous to stop for supplies when they were traveling at such a spectacular pace, but alas, now of all times, he was suffering for it.

A few expletives were at the tip of his tongue but when little Sarada wiggled and scrunched up her face showing her discomfort, he paled. She was ready to wail, and give away the fact that he, Uchiha Sasuke, had made a little mistake. A stupid mistake! And that was absolutely unacceptable. An Uchiha did not make little mistakes. Big ones, sure, but not little idiotic ones of this nature. He was sure if Sakura ever found out, he would never live this down.

"Sarada," he said seriously, and she was distracted by his voice. "Be a good girl for Papa," he told her. "Just hold it together for two more seconds."

Sarada paused as if to consider, and Sasuke disappeared in a heartbeat with her before she could cry out her unhappiness. There wasn't time to leave word of their absence with his wife, but he vowed to be quick. A hurried wash up and a fresh diaper. Yep. He'd be back in the blink of an eye and Sakura would never even know anything was amiss.

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 **Author's note:**

On this special day, I hope to encourage each of you to do something nice for someone you love, take the time to review, and/or just share a smile. Let's all join together to make this a wonderful season to remember.


	2. Request

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

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How was your Christmas? I hope it shaped up to be all you'd hoped. Here's day 2 of the Christmas surprise story...

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 **Request**

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It was hard to believe, but Uchiha Sasuke was in luck. In this dinky town Sakura suddenly detoured to, he had thought he'd spotted a small store nearby, and Sasuke was right. In a heartbeat, he stood before it's door trying to rock a disgruntled Sarada in her baby sling to quiet her down, just long enough, so he could make a quick purchase and resolve their current problem.

Unfortunately, while there, Sasuke discovered some bad news. Sakura had his wallet in her possession, which of course had all of their money. His wife had run off, determined to get the supplies they needed, and had demanded Sasuke watch Sarada for the short stint she would be gone, before he could answer.

 _Great. Just great. Now what?_

Sasuke eventually wandered into the store and began pacing the aisle, debating what to do, until...

"'scuse me, Sir. 'Scuse me," a little girl tapped on his leg.

Looking around, no other adult could be seen in the vicinity. The adorable little girl couldn't be older than two, perhaps three years old at most. Sasuke knew he had a gushy problem on his hands that was now soaking into his shirt, and a child ready to wail again, but as a new dad, he couldn't just ignore the little toddler standing before him.

"Are you lost?" he asked her in his least scary voice, though he'd admit his patience was being tested.

"Nuh uh," The little girl replied, seemingly unaffected she was facing the infamous Uchiha.

"Where's your Mommy?" he asked but only received a puzzled look in return.

"Did you know your baby made a boo boo?" the little one asked.

 _Fantastic_. Even a toddler could tell what mess he got himself into. He wanted to facepalm but instead he took her little hand and made his way to the front of the store in hopes of quickly finding her mother and hurrying off to figure out what he would do about the leaky diaper and his ruined and now stinky shirt.

"Do you see your Mommy anywhere?" he asked the little girl, but she shook her head.

"Ka-san?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"No. She no here," she told him.

Just when Sasuke was going to question her, a little old lady came shuffling down the aisle toward them.

"Oh my goodness Kaori!" she chastised. "You gave me a scare. I was frantic when I turned around and couldn't find you."

"It okay Ba-chan. I was with this nice man with da baby. See?"

Kaori's grandmother turned toward Sasuke. "Thank you for watching her kind Sir. I got busy sorting the shipment for our store in the back, and before I realized it, Kaori was gone."

Sasuke nodded then paled as he felt something further ooze onto his stomach and Sarada started to cry. _Gads this was bad._

"Oh dear. It looks like you have a little problem on your hands," the grandmother supplied, restating the obvious.

"Here. Let me help," she offered.

Normally, Sasuke was dead set on doing things by himself and refused to ever ask for assistance, but as the goo continued to ooze, he admitted this was a predicament he'd rather take care of immediately. In addition, to save face in front of Sakura, he agreed with himself he would relent this once.

"It looks like your little one needs a new diaper and outfit," the elderly lady said, looking at the miserable Sarada. "Wait a minute," she told Sasuke. "I believe I have just what you need. Now don't move. I'll be right back."

Before he could refuse, the little old lady returned with a new little onesie, a fresh diaper, wipes, and a plastic bag.

"There's a bathroom in the back," she instructed Sasuke. "Please, go and make use of it. It's the least I can do to thank you for standing in and watching Kaori."

Sasuke hesitated, but after assessing his options, he nodded his assent and quickly took Sarada with him. Removing Sarada's soiled makeshift diaper and disposing of it in the empty bag, he worked to remove her outfit, wipe her down, and get her back into the fresh new diaper and outfit. Quickly, Sasuke cleaned off the messes on his shirt and the sling to the best of his ability, and wiped himself down. Unfortunately, there was only so much he could do to clean up the poopie mess. With that, a worry came to mind. _Would Sakura notice?_ Since he was able to give things a pretty good rinse, he hoped not.

When he exited the room, the older woman shook her head as she tsked him.

"Oh dear. This accident was bigger than I thought," she told him. "Please," she requested. "Allow me help you with these," she pointed to his shirt, Sarada's soiled outift, and his dirty sling. "We live in the unit above this store and I was just about to do laundry. I promise, a quick scrub by hand, and an express dry cycle, and you'll be good as new."

Sasuke took a moment to contemplate. He could leave now and return without his wife having known he left, but Sakura would surely question the stains on the items and then he's have to admit to his mistake. On the flip side, maybe he could stall, get things back to the way they were, and return before his wife would ever know. There was an off chance of being caught, but Sasuke decided it was worth the risk. With a nod, the raven haired man gestured for the woman to follow him into the outside alley, removed his shirt, gave her the soiled items, and told the old lady he'd wait there on the side of her shop. It was out in the open, but at least it was a little more obscure than waiting inside her shop, and certainly his best option to avoid a gathering of fangirls while he rocked little Sarada to sleep.

* * *

Wow, see what happens when Sasuke helps a little girl? Funny how things can change when you do good.


	3. Humor

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

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Thank you to those who have reviewed. I really appreciate it!

Something unexpected just happened, and I'm not sure why, but I just found out WritingUnicorn took the writing prompt challenge down off of her updates section on Wordpress, so if you've checked recently, it's no longer there. I apologize to those who have gone over and taken a look and wondered where it went.

The good news is I have my story planned out and am committed to seeing it through. At this point I'd like to invite everyone to try the writing prompt challenge if you're interested, and PM me if you decide to join in. I am posting the challenge here for anyone who would like to participate.

The original challenge was to produce a SasuSaku story whose **theme** was the **Winter Festival**. In alphabetical order, here were the Word prompts: **Exchange, Humor, Improvise, Impulsive, Luxury, Opportunity, Overindulge, Request, Revealing, Stranded, Surprise,** and **Tradition**. Use the prompts in any order you see fit. This challenge was originally supposed to happen from Christmas Day through January 6th, (twelve prompts for the twelve days of Christmas), but because I am just now letting you know about it, I think it's only fitting to extend the deadline. As a reminder, there are no official rules to this contest. It's all just for fun. You can try one prompt, all, or just a few. Go where your muse takes you. I'll even add a special caveat that it's fine for your story to include other pairings, or other fandoms, just to mix things up. Have fun and challenge yourself. That's what this site is all about!

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And now to address some of my wonderful reviewers: Pixie07, wingedmercury, and Lady Rini. You definitely called it right regarding Sasuke. Read on to see how it all goes down!

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 **Humor**

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The Shadow Clone is what gave him away. Sakura was no dummy. For reasons that escaped her, Sasuke was driven to get to the Winter Festival in the Land of Snow. Crazy driven if you asked her, and downright determined. Basically nothing got in Sasuke's way when he got like that, so for her husband to suddenly have a complete turnaround only drew suspicion.

Sakura chuckled to herself when she thought about it. This whole trip was a little nuts. After sharing a story about her childhood, Sasuke had got it into his head that heading for the Winter Festival was going to be the perfect family getaway. The new Uchiha matriarch supposed it was because she had casually mentioned it was one of her childhood wishes that was never fulfilled. Little did she know Sasuke would latch onto the idea, and they would be traveling at top speed, to the Land of Snow, to make it to the Festival that would be ending at the end of the week.

It was unfortunate, but Sasuke, in his haste, had forgotten traveling with an infant was far different than when it was just the two of them. The infamous Uchiha was learning, but he often got into ridiculous binds with his oversights. The makeshift diaper he made out of an old shirt was definitely a prime example of that. Sakura managed to detour into a town right before the accident, but it was a fate just waiting to happen.

 _Silly, proud man._ Sakura thought to herself. _What were you thinking?_

Sasuke could fool himself into believing he could go nonstop on a direct path to their destination, but she knew Sarada would ultimately prove him wrong.

 _Sheesh. And then to try to pull a fast one on your wife to cover up your mistake with the excuse that you wanted some alone time with your daughter. P-l-e-a-s-e. How much more obvious could you be?_

 _"Take your time shopping, Sakura?" Pftttt._ If that wasn't the biggest hint _,_ she didn't know what was. Of course Sakura would wonder what her husband was up to.

 _Honestly, did he think he was sneaky sending a shadow clone to relay his message?_ Boy, Sakura knew right then and there that that husband of hers was frazzled.

Of course Sakura smiled when Sasuke's clone had proposed she take her time shopping and had agreed sweetly. What he didn't know was that she immediately tracked him down with a clone of her own that caught him in his lie.

* * *

"So was it worth the striptease for the little old lady?" Sakura teased when she walked up to him and he grimaced.

Being caught was one thing. Humiliation really did take it up a notch. Impeccable timing on her part. Really. She must have located him right at the point where he took his shirt off to have it laundered and was hiding in the alley until his laundry was done.

Sasuke tried his best to be serious, but his wife burst into a fit of laughter.

"Uchiha Sasuke, I hope you learned a lesson from this," Sakura teased. "Never try to cut corners or deceive your wife," she told him. "Getting caught stripping down for little old ladies and hiding to avoid others ogling the new Daddy and his precious cargo made for quite an eventful day."

"Sakura," he said in warning.

"Come now, Sasuke, you deserve every bit of this," Sakura returned.

And he did. Even though he wouldn't admit it.

"We need to get going now" he told his wife.

"Oh Sasuke, c'mon, humor me," Sakura said.

"No," he said with finality, and at that, Sakura scrunched her nose at him.

Seeing her slight pout Sasuke whispered. "Wife, if hold your tongue for now, there might be a reward," he enticed and she perked.

"Fine," she agreed and took off with him as he raced down the dirt path toward their next destination at top speed, "but it had better be good."


	4. Overindulge

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

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I've never posted this fast, so the interactive reviews have been a lot of fun to receive. Keep them coming! Boy, Sasuke had better watch out if some of those ideas come to fruition!

Now onto Chapter 4...

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 **Overindulge**

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Sasuke wasn't a very expressive person, but he loved his wife, and with every effort he could, he promised himself he would try his best to make Sakura's wish come true. It was paramount to keep her happy on this journey as well, and so the extra box of chocolates he sealed away in a scroll for emergency apologies was a no brainer.

He would never admit to it aloud, but Sasuke learned his lesson: premium diapers for his Uchiha Princess, and an open ear to his wife (especially to avoid pitfalls) were a must. Additionally, a much needed apology with one decadent chocolate piece for Sakura to forget his misstep at their first scheduled stop was in the works.

As they two sat on a couple of boulders to rest, Sasuke opened the box of chocolates and presented one to Sakura with a mumbled 'sorry.' She saw her favorite treat and smiled brightly. In Sasuke's mind, it appeared things would be back on track with this gesture, and he smiled inwardly. He was just about to congratulate himself when Sakura got her hands on the piece of candy, and one piece just wasn't enough. She claimed his little mistake was at least worth a second one. Even though he knew better, Sakura's persistence eventually wore him down, and Sasuke relented.

Four pieces later, Sakura was happy AND angry at him at the same time.

"Why did you bring those chocolates on the trip?" she accused.

He was baffled by her question but kept a straight face.

"I'll pay for my overindulgence with them," she admitted, then visibly saddened.

"Geez, I have enough extra baby fat to work off as it is," she said.

Sasuke sobered at the admission. Honestly he loved Sakura, and the tiny baby bulge she claimed to still harbor wasn't noticed by him in the least. He knew she was sensitive to the matter though, so her husband worked to come up with a diversion. Sakura had been through a lot in the past, and he felt now of all times, she deserved to just relax and enjoy herself.

He shook his head and asked her to sit.

"You look fine," he told her, but it was obvious she didn't believe him.

"Anyway, since it's past noon, I think it's time we break for lunch." And with that Sasuke put out some dried meat and berries.

"Have some provisions to power up, and I'll fill the canteens with water in that river over there and come back and join you," he offered, feeling awkward about his tactic, and wondering what else he could do to lift his wife's spirits.

Then, without her knowing, Sasuke summoned a shadow clone while filling the canteens, before venturing back to join his wife to eat.

The two ate in silence initially, but as Sakura nourished herself and Sasuke played with Sarada, her mood improved. During that time, a much needed idea came to him, and he quickly gathered their belongings and prepared to leave.

"Ready?" he asked her, and upon her agreement, they were off.

A short while later, Sasuke redirected them slightly East.

"Come," he requested, leaving no room to argue.

Unfortunately, halfway into the forest, little Sarada started to fuss and it became difficult to entice their little one to stay put in her sling. Sakura stayed positive for the most part, but after a few miles, he knew it was taking it's toll on her.

Seeing his wife sweaty and tired, he spoke. "Keep up the pace. We're almost there," he told her.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him. "We're not even close to the Land of Snow."

"I've decided we'll make a pit stop," he admitted.

 _Pit stop?_

"A special opportunity awaits you there," Sasuke tempted.

 _Special opportunity?_ Sakura perked. _Now just what was Sasuke talking about?_

As he had hoped, the weariness in Sakura faded and she started to pick up the pace. Meanwhile, Sasuke privately worked through some last minute scenarios in hopes of pulling off what he ultimately hoped to.

* * *

As a reminder, this is family trip. It couldn't be complete without just one argument, right?


	5. Opportunity

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

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 **Opportunity**

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A few brief stops were required to entertain Sarada, and another to change her, but at last their daughter finally settled down and went to sleep in the sling, and from then on it was easy for Sakura to race ahead and see what this pit stop was all about.

Foliage met a meandering pathway, that soon gave way to a spectacular clearing, and a beautiful lodge stood perched on the mountainside. Its lush gardens and steaming onsen both surprised and delighted Sakura, and there was no doubt, this pit stop was a sight for sore eyes.

"Sasuke," was all Sakura could utter. The beauty alone took her breath away.

A slight tilt of his lips let his wife know Sasuke was very happy with her approval.

It was a gamble to veer off course and head over toward the lodge, but the moment Sasuke saw the look of awe in Sakura's eyes, the trip was worth the extra effort.

"I'll hold Sarada," Sasuke insisted. He took his little one into his arm while Sakura removed the sling and placed it on his person. Once his daughter was safely strapped in, he gestured for his wife to walk ahead.

"Go on," he urged her.

"Wait. What?" Sakura was confused. "Aren't you coming?"

"No."

"But... Why?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Special mother's night away," he smirked.

At first Sakura smiled, clearly eager to bathe in the deliciously warm and soothing waters of the onsen, but then reality hit. "Wait. If I'm going there, where are you and Sarada going to sleep?" she asked.

"Due West of the fallen tree we just passed, there was a small clearing. I'll set up camp there, and Sarada and I will settle down for the night. You can come by at dinnertime and once before bedtime to feed her."

"Sasuke," she said, disapproval in her voice already apparent.

"Sakura, it's time Sarada and I had some father-daughter bonding time," he coaxed his wife, but this overly generous side of Sasuke only made her feel more guilty for wanting to go.

Already knowing that she wouldn't budge without more encouragement, Sasuke started to make his way to the lodge with Sarada in tow. Sakura followed along, not exactly sure what to make of things, but lured in by the prospects of a nice comfy bed and a dip in the warm water to release all bodily strains and stresses from their long journey so far.

As the silence stretched, Sakura's mind began to wander. An evening at the onsen sounded spectacular, but she knew could hardly enjoy the night if Sasuke and Sarada weren't there. Once at the grand entrance, Sakura tried to convince her husband to stay with her.

"Sasuke, how about we all stay this time?" she suggested, only to receive a shake of his head.

"Really? I'll definitely make it worth your while," she whispered to him seductively.

It was hard to leave his wife's side when Sakura tempted him like that, but their budget dictated he and Sarada couldn't stay with her. Sasuke had already checked with the lodge with his clone earlier, and with the budget he had set for this trip, they could barely scrape by reserving a single room.

"Next time," was all he said with a poke to her forehead.

"Please, Sasuke?" Sakura pleaded with him with those sparkling emerald eyes as she nuzzled closer to his side.

Just then, a little old man hobbled out from the gardens surrounding the entrance.

"Oh, it's you!" he exclaimed to Sasuke, surprising them both.

Sakura glanced between them, wondering how they knew each other.

"I see you brought your family this time," the old man mentioned.

"Takaragawa Masao," he introduced himself to Sakura. "It's nice to meet you." He greeted with a bow.

"Uchiha Sakura," she returned.

"Uchiha?" he said in surprise.

Sakura frowned. So this man knew Sasuke, but he didn't know he was Uchiha Sasuke?

"Yes," Sakura verified. "It seems you've already met my husband Uchiha Sasuke," she said skeptically, "and this is our daughter, Sarada" she added.

The old man bowed to each of them. "It's nice to see you again," he said to Sasuke.

"Your husband kindly got me out of a huge bind earlier," Takaragawa-san admitted to Sakura. "I am most grateful he came along and volunteered to help me. At the time, I didn't catch his surname, so please excuse my oversight."

Sasuke tipped his head at this, so the old man continued.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation just now. A last minute party just arrived, and it's very possible we're listed as being booked tonight at the lodge, but even so, I am certain we can make accommodations for all of you."

Sakura brightened at that but Sasuke soured. He did not want to be talked into spending more money on some sort of special room. This was a side excursion after all. The bulk of their funds needed to be saved for the fun they were to have at the Winter Festival.

"If you're booked, we can come another time," Sasuke told him, and Sakura frowned.

Guilt lingered and Sasuke added:

"But, if available, we'd like to reserve a single," Sasuke emphasized the last word, hoping the old man would leave things at that and not try to talk them into spending more.

"A single? No. No. That won't do," the old man insisted, then he paused thinking on why Sasuke had traveled ahead to the lodge in the first place. "If it's the price," the elderly man added, "please don't let that be a concern. Consider the room stay an exchange for services rendered earlier."

"What services?" Sakura asked, suddenly curious.

"Why, you're husband didn't tell you?" Takaragawa uttered in surprise, and Sakura shook her head. _Goodness_ , _this man thought nothing of all the work he did. One kindness deserves another_ , Takaragawa confirmed to himself.

"Well my dear, earlier my cart tipped over on my way up the mountain. Your husband not only stopped to pick up all the supplies and load them back onto it, but he towed the cart single-handedly all the way to the lodge in record time. I'm an old man," Takaragawa-san admitted, " and I would have been delayed for hours if he hadn't come by and helped me. "Uchiha-san saved me heaps of additional trouble. He somehow left before I could properly thank him, and thus I really feel this is the least I can do."

Sasuke knew the rooms were pricey at best, and if they were booked, it meant any space left now would be at an exorbitant price. He would never want to put out the old man this way.

"As you can see," Takaragawa pointed to a sign, Takaragawa Onsen, it read. "This is place has been run by my family for generations."

Sasuke stilled. _Wait. What? Was that true?_

"I assure you we have space for all of you and if you wouldn't mind giving me a hand with repairs to the cart that fell," Takaragawa-san told Sasuke. "I'd say we call it even. So what say you? Help me and have your family stay complimentary for a night?"

Sasuke was a proud, proud man but he wouldn't deny his wife this precious opportunity when he saw the joy on her face.

"We'll take it," Sakura answered before he could even open his mouth, and he smirked. So it looked like they would all be staying at the lodge after all.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Wow, way to go Yengirl! You're prediction was right. The hot springs was their destination.

Fun fact: Takaragawa is a real onsen in Japan, but it's named after a river and not a family. I just couldn't resist adding Takaragawa-san to the story. As you can see, at long last, Sasuke was able to catch a break.


	6. Luxury

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

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 **Luxury**

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Camping was far different from staying at the lodge, and Sasuke would admit baths taken in the cold rivers brought nowhere near the comforts of the hot springs of Takaragawa. The luxury of this place was through the roof! It was a shame Sarada was too young to enjoy the heated spring pools, but neither he nor Sakura would be caught dead missing out on this wonderful opportunity. It had been a long time since they were treated to something so deliciously soothing. Easy on the pocketbook, and to top it off, this excursion had the potential to be like a second honeymoon.

To compensate Takaragawa, Sasuke agreed to make repairs on the cart that was broken earlier on the old man's trip up the mountain, and the Uchiha carried all the goods brought up the mountainside into the kitchen, helping to organize the pantry, and assist with the heavy lifting required to fix a few industrial shelves. He further helped by shaping up the garden grounds and organizing an old storage room. In the meantime, Takaragawa happily played with little Sarada (always in view of her overprotective father of course), while Sakura left to enjoy the onsen.

Sarada had to stay in the baby sling for the duration of their trip so far, so the freedom of playing out in the open was a welcome surprise for her. She took full advantage of it, even skipping over her usual nap to watch her Papa work, or to just play with little items Takaragawa-san would bring to entertain her. In awe of everything, and in a pleasant mood, Sarada readily warmed up to the stranger and was nearly as tuckered out as Sasuke by the time dinner came.

* * *

Sakura felt like melted goo after scrubbing down and moving into the delightful onsen. She nursed Sarada shortly before going into the springs and almost didn't want to exit. Alas when her stomach growled in protest, she left the warm waters to find her husband to see if he needed any help and to find something for them to eat.

Near a storage room in the back of the lodge, Sakura found Sasuke dirty and exhausted, holding their their little girl that was starting to fuss. Immediately she went into mother mode and strode up to her weary husband to help.

"I'll feed her," she told him.

Sasuke nodded. "I'll shower then let's head to the restaurant to get something to eat."

"Mmmmh," Sakura cooed. "I've got a better idea. How about I grab some food and we'll eat in tonight? You can scrub down and..." She leaned closer and seductively whispered, "perhaps I'll join you in the onsen or better yet the bed."

Sasuke perked at that, and magically, all tiredness vanished.

"Sarada missed her nap so she should sleep a solid six hours straight," Sakura pointed out.

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke disappeared and Sakura chuckled. No doubt that husband of hers was already scrubbing down and getting ready.

With that, Sakura sent a clone to pick up some food from the restaurant while she prepared Sarada for bed. It was quite a long day for their little one, so after a quick change and feeding, Sarada was out like light.

Ready and waiting on the luxurious sheets of the futon, Sasuke's eyes widened when he found Sakura with two bowls of piping hot food and wearing very, very little, dressed in a favorite little nighty he hadn't seen in quite some time. A tiny smile crept upon his face as he quickly strode over for dinner and contemplated what it might be like to enjoy Sakura for dessert. If the stars aligned, this would be one memorable night indeed!

* * *

I'm pretty sure most of you can guess where this is going, but keep in mind this story is rated "T".

I'm curious. Who can guess the next prompt?


	7. Exchange

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

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Lady Rini: that was one funny idea you had, but I decided to be a little nicer to Sasuke. The poor lad has been through a lot, and for his good intentions, I think he deserves a break.

To the rest of you: I can't believe I ended on this prompt for 2017. I hope you enjoy this and remember I'm keeping it "T" rated. It's a family story after all.

Lastly, here's hoping all of you have fun tonight ringing in the New Year!

* * *

 **Exchange**

* * *

Sasuke was typically a very reserve fella. Sakura knew this and accepted him for what he was. Rarely did he say much, and since becoming her husband, she couldn't remember the last time he ever really asked anything from her. Sakura knew guilt weighed Sasuke down, and though he had his own wants and needs, for the most part, her husband never voiced them. He was a man though, and Sakura supposed after a few months of waiting for some individual attention and being personally enticed by her on a night Sarada would sleep through the night, Sasuke was more than ready to pounce on the opportunity.

Dinner was a simple affair. They had agreed to save the bulk of their funds for the Winter Festival, but Sakura splurged just a little by ordering Kobe beef from the on site restaurant, and kept further spending to a minimum by supplementing the main dish with the fresh burdock from the forest she had boiled earlier as she waded in the onsen. The extra side of gobo made for a nice side dish, but nothing surpassed the deliciousness of the rare and coveted beef.

They ate in comfortable silence, and when all was finished, Sasuke surprised her and brought out a couple of delectable chocolate covered shortbread cookies from his secret stash. The heavenly taste of chocolate gave her an additional boost and Sakura couldn't help but loose herself in the sheer delight of her cookie. Her moan of delight was all it took for Sasuke to dangle his own cookie in front of her and enjoy every moment watching Sakura sensuously devour it. Warmth shared by their proximity soon was prodded on by wanton needs. From there, one word was all it took.

"Please," Sasuke asked with barely contained control as he brushed his hand to caress the flimsy spaghetti strap on her shoulder.

The moment she nodded, Sasuke scooped up his wife and carried her over to the futon.

Behind closed doors and overtaken with passion, the exchange that followed was everything Sakura could have hoped and just what Sasuke needed. It wasn't until Sarada woke her to feed did Sakura realize just how spent they were.

When the sun rose, they were definitely a little tired, but when it was apparent the staff from the lodge was getting ready to open for the day, Sasuke and Sakura dressed and worked to arrange the room back to its original state. There were no rooms left available at the lodge, so Takaragawa-san had closed off the special tea ceremony room as their sleeping quarters for the night. A quick morning shower, with one more soak in the onsen, rejuvenated their bodies and they cleared the area for visitors to use the tea lounge.

Just as they gathered the last of their belongings and readied themselves to leave, Takaragawa-san approached them with a special tray of tea. The old man smiled and insisted he would watch Sarada while they shared one last tea ceremony before they departed on their journey to the Winter Festival. Sakura was overcome with happiness, and Sasuke couldn't bring himself to say 'no.'

This was going to put a wrench in Sasuke's traveling schedule, but since they had shared such a wonderful night, Sasuke wanted to leave the lodge on a memorable note, not on one denying his wife of something more she wanted. With a bow, Sasuke accepted the tray and followed his wife back into the tea room so they could share one last memorable moment at this undeniably beautiful lodge.

* * *

Note: In Japan both chocolate and gobo are thought to be aphrodisiacs. Do you think Sakura and Sasuke knew that?

In terms of writing challenges, I always wanted to see if I could write a chapter where only one word is said. I couldn't be happier this first attempt was having Sasuke use the magic word.

Lastly, it's the last day of 2017. For those ready to turn over a new leaf for the New Year, please consider leaving positive, constructive reviews in 2018. They leave a lot of good in their wake!


	8. Tradition

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

Happy New Year everyone! May 2018 be a spectacular one for you!

A befitting prompt for the day, here's Chapter 8 just for you...

* * *

 **Tradition**

* * *

To properly prepare for this age old tradition, the couple partitioned off a small area of the room to dress into their formal wear. It took a little help, but thanks to his wife, Sasuke was able to quickly maneuver into his traditional kimono, then took Sarada from Takaragawa-san and began entertaining her while his wife took her turn to get ready. It wasn't easy to wait, and truth be told, he was getting a little antsy with the delay in their travels, but an inner voice warred with him to be patient.

 _I'll give you 10 more minutes, wife,_ he thought to himself, then I'll have no choice but to say something.

Luckily, as promised, Sakura appeared before the 10 minutes were up. It wasn't easy, considering she had to get into the special kimono she had packed without help, but she managed. She smiled as she looked at her reflection in the small mirror on the wall. It would be an early showing of the new kimono she bought just for this trip, but Sakura knew there would be no better time to show it off.

The moment she entered the room, Sasuke's breath caught. Every extra second expended was suddenly worth it. The deep burgundy silk kimono Sakura had chosen was visually appealing, and her smile melted away any gripes he had before. Rocking little Sarada in his arm, with a nod, he approached her.

At just an arms length away, the pair locked gazes, and in that moment, it was just the two of them, suspended in time and very much in love.

Of course, with a new baby, times like these weren't meant to last, and Sarada chose the next moment to release an unexpected wail that broke the spell, and had them looking to the bundle in his arm with concern.

Takaragawa-san saw the dilemma and quickly took action, hobbling over to the Uchihas.

"May I hold her?" he asked Sasuke. "It wouldn't be polite to keep your wife waiting."

Sasuke looked to Takaragawa-san, then back at Sakura, unsure.

The old man pulled a tissue out of his pocket to wipe little Sarada's little runny nose. "You won't be long," he reminded. "Besides, it will give me an opportunity to take your daughter over to enjoy the steam from the onsen. It looks like she may have caught a little cold. Don't worry, you can easily see us through the glass windows," he pointed out, already knowing what the overprotected Papa was thinking. "We'll always remain in view, and as you see fit, you can come to us as needed."

At that Sasuke seemed to consider, and Takaragawa-san saw his opportunity. "Please, let your little one take this therapeutic walk with me. It will be beneficial to clear her nose before you leave. I promise I'll take care of her, and if you start now, the tea ceremony will be fast and memorable."

Sasuke's hesitated, but his wife answered for them.

"Let us know if she gets too fussy," Sakura replied, already relieving Sasuke of the baby sling, "and thank you for this opportunity," she said.

The old man gently rocked Sarada and brought the crying child out the door to the onsen and into view from the window. The steam helped little Sarada breathe easier, and a quiet tune he hummed seemed to soothe her. In no time, the beauty of the gardens and the sound of the water of the onsen distracted Sarada for the time being and Sasuke and Sakura could see she stopped crying. At the first sign Sarada was content, the pair quickly took their places to begin the tea ceremony.

A light dessert of anmitsu was shared, then Sakura sat before her husband, raising her sleeve before commencing the traditional ritual. The last time they shared tea in this way was the day they were married, and being here like this, really made it feel like a second honeymoon.

* * *

Memories of their wedding day flitted through their minds as tea was sipped and a brief smiles were shared. The exchange was a marvelous way to end their stay and when the tea cups were at long last placed on the tray, the couple rose and headed out toward the onsen hand in hand.

Unfortunately, reality hit once they opened the door leading to the outside and Sarada's cry could be heard. A bit of guilt weighed down on the pair and they rushed over to see how she was. They thanked Takaragawa-san for his generosity and quickly took Sarada into their care to settle her down.

Once Sarada calmed a bit, Sakura excused herself to change into her normal clothes, nurse Sarada, and change her baby's diapers. In the meantime Sasuke changed and readied himself for the next part of their trip.

* * *

Finally regrouping at the entrance of the lodge, Sasuke and Sakura readied themselves to bid farewell to their host. Sarada started out happy, but soon began to fuss as they placed her into her sling.

"Would you like to stay an extra night?" Takaragawa-san tempted as he approached the couple. "The little one might like a warm place to stay for just a wee bit longer."

"Thank you for the offer Takaragawa-san," Sakura answered for them, "but it really is best we get going. Please know we had a lovely time and truly appreciate your generosity though," she told him with a bow.

Sasuke then attempted to hand him an envelope with funds to pay for their stay and the special tea ceremony but the old man flat out refused.

"Uchiha-san, your debt was long past paid with all the help you offered," Takaragawa-san reminded. "Please don't give this old man a hard time and instead keep your money and spend it on your lovely family. Promise to make them happy on this trip instead," he chided.

Sasuke thought of the conflict that would arise if he insisted on paying, and the tight timeline they needed to adhere to, and simply nodded.

The Uchiha pair then walked away with Sarada in tow, and Sakura waved their last good-bye.

Sarada still wasn't quite content but just beyond the treeline of the forest, Sasuke insisted they pick up the pace. A day was lost and there was only one more day until the Festival was over.

* * *

By the next morning, they found themselves more than a little tired, but in the line to take the gondola that made its way to the top of the mountain to where the Festival was being held. Relieved they were still accepting guests, Sasuke made his way to the end of the line, when a voice caught Sakura's attention.

"Haruno Sakura?" a brunette called. "Why it is you!"

Sakura looked up in surprise.

"Fujimoto Yumi," the girl announced.

When she saw there wasn't recognition, she clarified. "I realize you may not remember me, but you and Yamanaka Ino helped my father recover at the Special Forces Clinic after the War. He was the one who kept calling you Yoko."

At that, Sakura giggled. There was no mistaking that nin. The hit to the head he sustained had him quite disoriented and for some reason he kept calling her Yoko. Several attempts were made to correct him, but by the end of the week, Sakura gave up and just went with the name, Yoko, so she could finish his exams quickly.

"It's nice to see you again," she told Yumi.

"This is my husband Uchiha Sasuke and our daughter, Sarada."

The surname was infamous and the young girl stood straighter.

"It's nice to meet you," she said with a bow to Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded and moved forward with the line, holding Sarada snugly to him. Yumi watched them then paled.

"Oh dear," Yumi announced. "You're not here for the Winter Festival are you?" she asked with worry.

"We are," Sasuke affirmed, moving forward again as the line moved.

"Wait. No one told you?" Yumi asked, aghast.

"Told us what?" Sakura asked.

Yumi sucked in a breath. She did not want to be the one to break the bad news to the infamous Uchiha, and yet, there was no one else who could ease them into it gently. She eyed Sasuke then looked back at Sakura.

"You didn't hear about the incident at our Village?" she asked in disbelief.

"No. What happened?" Sakura asked, brows now furrowing.

"A group of rogue nins came through our town two days ago," Yumi announced. "It really wasn't a big deal at first, but a group of them got drunk and...and..."

"And?" Sakura asked.

"They started causing trouble. Big trouble actually. Remember, we are a peaceful civilian village isolated from other towns. Our police are no match for ninja, especially those with special powers. Unfortunately in their drunken state, they destroyed a third of the ice sculptures and scared away valued tourists. As a result, there was a moratorium placed on all ninja traveling through our town until the end of the week."

"Isn't the Festival ending today?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes," Yumi gulped, hoping she didn't upset the Uchiha. "For added security there is a chakra sensing seer at the front of this line to prevent any ninja from making it onto the Gondolas and hired ninja to prevent any from entering. Messages have been sent out to every major and minor Village," Yumi told them. "I'm surprised news didn't reach you in Konoha."

"We weren't in Konoha," Sakura pointed out.

"I'm so sorry," Yumi told her. "I'd be happy to put in a plea to let you enter, but I know, at best, my request won't be heard until tomorrow when the festival is over and the ice sculptures are melted to provide room in the central square for the performers of the outdoor show arriving late tonight. "Gosh," Yumi shook her head, "what a terrible shame."

"It's okay," Sakura told her.

Sasuke said nothing but looked at the mountain carrying loads of tourists on the gondolas. Sakura may have seen and understood the situation but Sasuke simply did not want to accept this as their fate, not after running half way across Japan trying to fulfill the dream of the perfect family vacation.

"Where's the nearest town from here?" Sasuke inquired.

Yumi thought quickly. "It's likely Fujikawaguchiko, but it's several kilometers from here," Yumi told him.

"Hn. Let's gather some supplies and head there," Sasuke told Sakura, but this only made her suspicious. Her husband was definitely not one to give up that easily, but Sakura supposed there was no other choice.

Just then Sarada awoke and begun to cry.

"I'll meet you over there," Sasuke indicated to Sakura, pointing toward the mountains and jogging away with Sarada.

"Wait," Yumi insisted. "In the Spring we take the trails in the direction your husband is heading, but in the Winter, the snowy banks prevent easy travel," she told Sakura. "The path over this way is longer, but it's much easier to get there," Yumi told her, pointing to a path going in the opposite direction.

From afar, Sasuke flashed his impatient look to Sakura.

"Thank you," Sakura told her nicely, "but I think we'll be able to manage the shorter route," she said. "We appreciate the tips though," the medic told her. "It was nice to see you again."

"It was nice seeing you too," Yumi told her. "I'm sorry you came all this way and missed the Festival."

"No worries," Sakura said taking off toward her husband. "Take care."

* * *

So will the Uchiha's make it to the Winter Festival? What do you think?


	9. Impulsive

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

 **Impulsive**

* * *

The moment the Uchiha family was out of eyesight from the crowds waiting for the gondola, Sasuke spoke.

"Follow me," Sasuke said as he pointed to a wayward trail. "The gondola goes up the North side of the mountain into the town, but there's also a less traveled way to enter from the South side."

Sakura gave him a disapproving look.

"Look, Sakura, if it makes you happy, I won't use any jutsu so our chakra won't be detected. Once we get up to the Village, we'll do our best to blend in, at least long enough to take a private peek."

"Sasuke," his wife warned.

Somehow, Sakura just knew her husband wouldn't give up that easily. This sudden impulsive move wasn't like Sasuke, but it was clear the stubborn part of him was driving his decisions.

"We shouldn't do this," she told him and her husband looked a little perturbed.

"Don't get me wrong," Sakura corrected. "I really appreciate you trying to get me to the Festival. I know I told you it's been something I've been fascinated with ever since I was little. It's just..."

He knew Sakura liked to do things by the books even if it meant sacrificing her own wants and needs.

"Interesting," Sasuke said, and Sakura raised an eyebrow. She waited but when nothing further was said, Sakura prodded him for more.

"What?" his wife asked a little exasperated but just a tad curious.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" She responded. "Oh, c'mon Sasuke. Don't you 'nothing me,' Sakura warned.

He looked impassively at his wife, but when he saw the fire starting to burn in her eyes, he spoke up. "Fine," Sasuke relented. "There's been quite a buzz about the Festival this year," he tempted. "The ice sculptures have been touted to be the best they've ever been."

Sakura eyed Sasuke and he knew he sparked some curiosity in her.

"Where did you hear that?" Sakura interjected.

"Wife, I wouldn't have come this far had I not done my research."

And that was true. Sasuke was never about wasting time. He was forever on the go, but he always had a clear purpose in mind. There was silence, but then she spoke.

"Fine. Just one peek," Sakura said on a whim, "but we won't stay...and remember you promised we'd travel so no one will detect us."

Sasuke suppressed the need to roll his eyes. "Just keep up," he teased, sprinting off with their baby, and with that, Sakura was fast on his heels.

* * *

Review for a sneak peek at tomorrow's prompt.


	10. Stranded

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

I posted Chapter 9 yesterday, but for some reason, the site didn't add it to the cue, so only those following this story or on Author alert were able to see that I updated. Feel free to go back and read Chapter 9 before moving onto this one if you missed it.

And now for Day 10. Did you guess the prompt?

* * *

 **Stranded**

* * *

They weren't even a mile up the South side of the mountain before Sarada awoke and started to fuss big time. It wasn't the first time this happened since leaving the onsen, but her restlessness now was becoming a huge problem. Sasuke tried to soothe her, but for some reason, this time the little Uchiha refused to be placated.

Once Sarada started tugging on her ear and letting out a fierce wail, Sakura told him to stop.

"Sasuke, let me hold her for a bit," Sakura offered, and he quickly agreed. As he was transferring little Sarada to his wife, Sakura promptly realized something. "Oh my... She's hot!" Sakura exclaimed.

 _What?_ With all the rush, Sasuke didn't even realize there was extra heat emanating off his little girl.

"Poor baby," Sakura soothed.

"It looks like Sarada's come down with a fever," she told Sasuke. "Let's find shelter. I need to take a better look at her somewhere out of the cold."

"Sakura," Sasuke began, "Allow me to take us into the nearest town, so we can find a warm place for her."

"No," Sakura said with a frown. The nearest town is at the top of that mountain and if you use your Jutsu, it will likely be too disorienting for her right now. Plus, if it's what I think it is, it may be dangerous for her to travel up there," Sakura emphasized.

 _Dangerous?_ Sasuke didn't know what Sakura meant by that, but there was no way in the world he would endanger his little girl. As a result, Sasuke kept quiet and scanned the area around them for shelter.

Unfortunately, they'd only made it just above the South base of the mountain, and nothing but piles of snow were present. The nearest spot of interest was a small lake slightly East of them, but no caves or shelter were anywhere near them.

Seconds later, Sarada's cries became more and more urgent, agitating Sasuke greatly. Desperate to provide her the shelter she needed, Sasuke thought quickly and produced several Shadow clones. One group started digging rapidly, while another group worked to tightly compact the snow. Sakura caught onto his line of thought and produced a few Shadow clones of her own to help dig, while she tried her best to soothe Sarada.

With each wail, Sasuke's efforts doubled, because if the sound of her cry was any indication, little Sarada really needed to be looked at soon.

In no time, a fair sized snow crater was dug out. Sculpting quickly, Sasuke and his Shadow Clones then took on the arduous task of taking the blocks of compacted snow and building a roof over their heads. Motivated by her cries of pain, they were able to get the bottom part of the dome constructed in a timely manner, so Sakura could start her assessment of Sarada while they continued finishing off the roof above them.

Just as it started to snow, the final blocks of the roof were put in place, and Sasuke dispersed his Shadow Clones and moved over to where his wife was healing Sarada and built a small fire.

"How is she?" he finally asked, full of concern.

"Better," Sakura told him stroking Sarada's hair gently. "Poor thing. The little cold she caught, unfortunately went straight to her ear. Pressure was building up for her as we climbed the mountain, and… Sasuke, it's a good thing we stopped when we did. Had I not tended to her here, it's likely her eardrum would have perforated! We need to rest here. There's definitely no way Sarada should be in elevation any higher right now."

The look on his face told him just how unhappy and disgusted he was with himself for ignoring his baby earlier.

"I've relieved the immediate ear pressure that was bothering her, but due to her size and the intricacies of her tiny ear canals, ridding her safely of all the bacteria is going to take some time. On top of that, I think I overdid things a little by helping you build this igloo," Sakura admitted. "So until I rest and replenish my chakra, I won't be able to continue helping Sarada. As you've probably guessed, this sort of work takes extremely precise chakra control and I don't want to make a mistake."

Stunned into reality, Sasuke stood frozen, feeling guilty and still processing what this meant.

Knowing all the effort Sasuke put into this trip, Sakura tread lightly with what she had to spell out to him.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, but it looks like we're stranded here," Sakura confided to him, sympathetically. She knew her husband was hoping to take them to the Winter Festival, but with the new situation, it just didn't look like it was meant to be.

* * *

Oh my goodness. You guys rock! I can't tell you how entertained I've been with your reviews. Honestly, it's been as much fun reading them as it's been writing this story, and the ones I received yesterday were some of my favorites! I'm not sure if anyone guessed Stranded as today's prompt, but kudos if you did. Only 2 more prompts to go. Can you believe it? Please keep the commentary coming. With all of your encouragement, you've lit the fire to help me to see this through.


	11. Revealing

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

I'm grateful to the wonderful reviewers have let me know you're enjoying the story. If you've read up until now and have been a silent reader, know I'd love your feedback too.

And now with fingers crossed, I hope this chapter lives up to expectation.

* * *

 **Revealing**

Sasuke was indeed disappointed, but honestly, what more could he do? This was supposed to be their family vacation, the special one they would remember for years to come, but he drew the line at endangering Sarada in order to achieve it.

At the start of this trip, Sasuke was sure he could make Sakura's childhood dream come true. In addition, he wanted to surprise his wife and take their first family picture in front of the winning ice sculpture. It was something he kept to himself. He hated taking pictures after all, but now that it was no longer possible, he'd admit, it was somewhat of a let down.

Although it was completely unfair, Sasuke blamed nobody. He just wished there was some way he could bring the joy of the Festival into their lives after making it this far.

As the minutes ticked by, Sasuke tried not stew about it, but it was all he could think about. He knew if this kept up, the disappointment would soon deteriorate his mood, so instead he offered to scout the area for something to eat while Sakura rested with Sarada. No words of protest came from his exhausted wife, so after setting out the tarps and sleeping bags to create a resting space, he left as soon as Sakura dozed off and his healing daughter soon followed.

Panting, Sasuke looked around. It was apparent he had taken out his irritations on the ice and snow, but thankfully with the rate the snow was falling, the surface damage would be covered in white by evening. A few holes were created in the ice of the lake's surface, and a smooth ice tunnel existed where a huge fireball passed through, but no outrageous damage marred the terrain. Sasuke promised himself he would keep his temper in check. _Just blow off a little steam_ , he had told himself, and he was happy, for the most part, he had kept his promise.

The new holes in the ice of the lake conveniently provided spots to fish from, and as he sat and hoped for bite, he watched the top of the ice tunnel as it began to drip, and small icicles started to hang, reflecting light in a glittery light show. In another place and time, it might have been quite a sight to see, but right now, it only seemed to showcase his big failure. The great Uchiha was here, out in the middle of nowhere, instead of with his family at the Winter Festival.

Just then, a tug at his line brought him out of his thoughts and Sasuke quickly pulled up his line to find a fish.

Right then, Sasuke heard a voice call out and he knew it was time to go.

"Sasuke," Sakura's voice echoed. "Where are you?"

Sasuke quickly made his way back with his catch toward the igloo. The snow was falling, and although he didn't want Sakura and Sarada to come out for him, Sakura had already shimmied through the little hole with their little one and was looking for him outside.

"Sakura," he spoke as he came into the clearing. "Come. Let's get you both out of the cold."

Within the igloo, Sakura sat next to the fire where she had prepared a simple meal of gobo and rice. Sarada was propped up on a tarp and staring at the glow of the embers.

"I'm glad you're back. Come now. Let's eat," Sakura told him.

"I have this to add," Sasuke said, showing her the fish he caught, and Sakura smiled. "Wow, this is great! It looks like we'll feast tonight," she said, rubbing her hands together.

Sakura quickly set to work to grill the fish, and not before long, the two gathered around the fire and put their hands together. Itadakimasu!" his wife exclaimed, as they dug in.

All the hard work and freezing temperatures, certainly made the warm meal taste good, and it wasn't long before they both sported a full belly. Sakura nursed Sarada to sleep, then nuzzled up to her husband with a bright smile.

"It's cozy in here, don't you think?" she said with a tease in her voice.

"Sakura," Sasuke said seriously. "You don't have to pretend."

"Pretend?" Sakura said, clearly puzzled.

Sasuke gave her that look that said _This dream trip turned out horribly._

Then it was Sakura's turn to frown.

"What are you talking about Sasuke?" she questioned.

"This trip," he began dejectedly.

"This trip certainly has been an unforgettable adventure," she told him.

He looked at the cramped igloo space and shook his head. "I know you wanted to go to the Winter Festival," he pointed out, a bit of frustration still lingering.

Then it was her turn to understand. "Sasuke," she corrected, I'm not disappointed," his wife told him.

He shot her that _you don't fool me_ look, so she elaborated. "Honestly, all I was hoping for on this trip was some family time together and sharing the wonder of it all with you and Sarada."

"What about missing the ice sculptures and the thrill of exploring a new place?" he asked.

"Sasuke, I'm here, alone and cozy with you and Sarada. We're nestled together in our own personal igloo away from prying eyes. I've been able to see my man be a father to our daughter, loose myself in luxury at the lodge, honor you with a special tea ceremony, and make it to gondolas for the Winter Festival in the Land of Snow. It's true, I wasn't technically able to see what we originally came for, but I've had a great time on this adventure with the two of you. What more could I have asked for?" Sakura said, revealing what truly meant the most to her.

Sasuke shook his head but there was a smile beginning to peek out.

"I have an idea. How about I clear this area out and play with Sarada for a bit while you head out to find some kindling wood. I'm sure if I get her tired enough, she may have another night she sleeps through now that she's comfortable."

Sasuke's mind wandered to the last time that happened at the lodge and nodded. This trip was going nothing like he'd planned, far from what he had hoped, but somehow, with Sakura and Sarada, it was turning out just what he wanted it to be.


	12. Surprise

Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

I'd like to recognize the following fabulous reviewers who, in part, helped to ensure this story was posted as promised and completed as hoped:

 **Yengirl, Lady Rini, Sakura's Unicorn, Pixie07, minthegreen, Nessie910, YoungBlossom, Itachan18, Tuvstarr's lost heart, wingedmercury, oyink** , and **guest**

You're the best! Many of you have awesome stories of your own and I encourage others to check them out. That said, all of you are A+ reviewers. You know I'm a fan of the positive constructive review and all of you have proven you've mastered that art perfectly.

To my other readers, please review if you've made it this far and you haven't done so yet. I'd love to know your thoughts now that we're at the end of this tale. Also, if you find yourself a fan of the positive constructive review, I invite you to check out my Profile Page to see if you're interested in joining the **Fanfiction Review Movement.** I'm always happy to welcome new pledges. Have a wonderful year everyone!

~Fanofthisfiction

* * *

Now onto the last chapter...

* * *

 **Surprise**

* * *

There was very little room in the igloo for much movement, but Sasuke and Sakura made do, and since it was quite cold within their little makeshift abode, they kept little Sarada protectively nestled between them.

It was usually Sakura who tended to Sarada at night, so cuddling next to his baby girl was a special treat, and Sasuke knew he would treasure this memory for the rest of his life.

* * *

Their combined body heat made things cozy, and as Sasuke thought might happen, Sakura alluded to energy for 'other activities,' but she dozed off after Sarada's feeding, (clearly exhausted), and Sasuke decided it was best to let her sleep. He was also tired, but for some reason, the Sharingan user couldn't bring himself to succumb to sleep. For several minutes he lay there wide awake and restless, until a grand idea popped into his head. Sasuke spent a few minutes pondering it over, then soundlessly poofed himself out of the igloo and decisively trudged ahead to the nearby lake with a handful of weapons and a torch for light.

* * *

Slicing blocks of ice with his kunai was the easy part, but towing them and figuring out how to go about his plan was the tricky part. Not sparing a moment, Sasuke focused on the task at hand. An hour had already passed, and he estimated he had about three more hours before Sarada would wake Sakura again. _Just enough,_ he decided.

* * *

Once Sakura awoke and nursed their baby, she sensed Sasuke was standing outside, but since he came back into the igloo shortly after that, she assumed he had exited to go to the bathroom or something of that nature. Snuggling with her two favorite people again, falling asleep came easy, and Sakura didn't even notice when Sasuke poofed himself outside once again and went to work.

* * *

When morning came Sakura nudged Sasuke to watch little Sarada and bundled up so she could exit the igloo and go to the bathroom. It surprised her was how soundly her husband was sleeping, and she hoped he wasn't ill. It was as if he hadn't slept a wink all night, and it was so unlike him.

Once ready, Sakura shimmied through the exit of the igloo to the outside, and her breath caught. Wide-eyed and touched beyond measure, she stared at the unexpected surprise. Standing in front of her were three beautifully carved ice sculptures glistening in the early morning sun.

 _Sasuke?_ she wondered, but as she looked down the row to the third block of ice, a giggle escaped her. There was no doubt this was his work, and she moved forward to look the carvings over carefully.

The first sculpture was wonderfully handcrafted. It was a scene with the two of them, hand and hand, at the Winter Festival they never saw. Sarada was nuzzling next to Sasuke's chest resting, while Sakura looked around with wonder in her eyes. Even though it wasn't meant for them to make it to this year's festival, this intricately carved ice rendition was a golden moment spent at this year's Winter Festival in her books.

Next came a glorious miniature ice rendition of the onsen lodge. The small figurine in the grand pool most certainly represented her, and the warm memories filled her soul, despite the scene being carved in ice.

Lastly, and this was what certainly gave the artist away, a man whose spiky hair was unmistakable, stood with his back to her, pulling off his shirt while a little old woman held Sarada and watched him. The man and the woman were faceless but there was no doubt whom they represented.

Touched beyond words, Sakura went off to go to the bathroom and joined her husband in the igloo shortly after. He must have worked around the clock with several Shadow Clones and the use of his Sharingan and fireball jutsu to capture the details so brilliantly. No wonder Sasuke was so exhausted. The last of the torches he had used to light the area were extinguishing with the snowfall, but the sculptures remained perfectly preserved in the freezing temperatures. It was the sweetest gift since...well the sweetest gift ever.

Sakura nudged Sasuke when she made her way back into the igloo, and finally spoke.

"Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"I loved your gift," she told him.

"What gift?" he tried to brush off, only making her smile.

"The chiseled gift of sweet memories I discovered outside...made from a heart of gold," Sakura added. He said nothing, but she knew he was trying to hide a smile.

"I know we never made it to the Winter Festival, but from here on, I will always remember this as the trip where we found something much better."

"Better?" he questioned.

"Absolutely. Sasuke, this whole trip has been like a dream come true. I'd always hoped one day we would embark together on an adventure and make our own special memories. I wasn't sure we would ever get a chance, but happily thanks to you and this trip, the mission was accomplished." Sasuke's smile then started to peek out.

"On top of that, Sarada and I plan to cherish the rest of our time with the winner of this year's Winter Festival ice sculpture contest...YOU!"

With that, she nuzzled next to her sweet, exhausted husband and placed little Sarada between them. With great happiness, Sakura gave them both a squeeze, sharing her warmth, and reveling in just how much she loved them, in the small confines of their makeshift igloo home, out in the middle of nowhere. Right then, if you asked Sakura, life really was grand on this next to perfect vacation, and resting right beside his baby and Sakura, feeling his two most prized people happy, warm, and comfortable, Sasuke would undoubtedly have to agree to that too.

~ The End

* * *

Wow! Unbelievably I made it. 12 prompts for the 12 days of Christmas. I hope you enjoyed this little Winter Festival tale, and just like Sasuke, may the good you do this year, receive it's own rewards.

As a final reminder, for anyone interested in taking on this prompt challenge, let me know. I'd love to see what you can do. Take care everyone, thanks for reading, and have a Happy New Year!


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